Meet Penny

What was life like before bariatric surgery?
My weight has been a burden for many years, but it had gotten pretty bad for the few years before surgery. Of course, all of us were effected by covid, and after I had covid, it was like my body went down further than it was already being diagnosed with fatty liver disease and PCOS. After covid I was diagnosed with high blood pressure, diabetes and sleep apnea. I always felt tired, out of breath, and mentally and physically defeated. Trust me, I have tried every fad diet and even gotten a lap band in 2005. Some of the biggest struggles that I had, which I know many of us struggle through, is doing everything right on a diet and still not seeing results or even weight increase. Also, which diet is best? What exercise do I do? Will I ever really be comfortable in my body and not mad at myself all the time? When can I shop at a normal store and not be embarrassed because I need a 4X shirt but buy a smaller one anyway? I never wanted to play with my kids or do things with my family. I always thought through the things that would happen in each event to see if I thought I would be comfortable being a part of everything and sometimes made excuses not to attend even with the people that loved me the most, my family! Needless to say, my weight was a physical, emotional, and mental hindrance!

If you put off the decision to come in for a long time, why was that? What kept you from booking a consultation?

I started the surgery process in July 2019 and did not have surgery until January 2022! There were several factors in that decision, but I believe God had to get me to a point where I was ready for myself and no one else! I had to do this for me, or I would not have been in the right head space to accomplish everything up until now!

What was it like to work with the team, from the start of your journey to today?

Panhandle weight loss center has been wonderful! I get so excited to tell them news of what has been accomplished, and everyone is excited when people succeed! It makes a person feel good that they truly care about your struggles and success!

What is your life like now? What’s the #1 thing you love being able to do now?

After having surgery, my life changed. Sometimes I think I run circles around my husband and make him dizzy! I want to do things around the house and with the kids and family. I could fit in an airplane seat without a seatbelt extension, which was huge! Now I don’t just dream about traveling but have already done some and plan to do more!